Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Decided Bride ❯ The Challenge ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Serenity felt every single muscle in her body tense, and her breathing faltered. She was sure her heart had stopped for a few milliseconds too, but then started up again. If it was anyone that normally worked at the tavern she wouldn't care who saw her. However, even though she had heard him speak a grand total of two times, she still recognized the person the gasp belonged to.

"Motoki? Tye?" came the voice, sounding more like a strangled gasp than anything else. Motoki was blocking her from Darien, so Darien obviously couldn't see she was a girl. He...he thought that……ewwww!!! Motoki, quickly swung her back up and they both faced the shocked Darien who was just closing the door.

"H-hi Darien," stammered Motoki. Darien had a look of genuine surprise on his face. Serenity could see the wheels in his head turning as he was trying to put two and two together. Then Serenity looked down and remembered she was wearing a dress and looked like a girl. She looked up and was shocked to see that Darien was grinning!

She looked at Motoki who had a streak of blush across his face that could probably be seen right to the castle. Suddenly, Darien was laughing. Laughing! She shot her gaze over to look at him. He was laughing so hard now that he had to lean onto the door for support. How dare he laugh! Then came a choking sound from beside her. She looked over, and saw Motoki crumpling up with laughter too. How can they be laughing! At a time like this!

Suddenly and odd sensation started to form at the pit of her stomach, and before she knew what was happening, she felt laughter in her throat. She joined them in their mirth for a matter of minutes.

When they had all calmed down a bit, Darien walked over to them. "Would you two mind telling me what's going on?" he asked, not even trying to mask the amusement in his voice. She knew what must be going through his mind, the story of two lovers who are forced to hide their love and meet in the secret of night.

"I was trying to teach the lady to dance," Motoki said, still laughing a little bit. Serenity thanked him in her mind for the white lie, although she was teaching him almost.

Darien looked at her. She felt his eyes pouring into her, trying to see into the very depths of her soul. She shivered involuntarily. "Tye…no, I guess that's not your real name, is it," he said, and she shook her head, her voice caught in her throat. He kept his stare fixed on her.

Motoki's voice broke the silence. "Darien, I should introduce Usagi." Serenity cursed him silently for using that name. Darien's eyes were still locked on Serenity's. He had an odd look on his face, like he was trying to read her very thoughts.

She finally broke her gaze away. "Yes, Usagi. As Motoki said, he was teaching me to…dance," she said as she looked back at Darien, who no longer had that intense look on his face. He gazed at her for a moment longer, then looked at Motoki.

Motoki shrugged his shoulders. "It's not going too well. I don't know how to dance very well and Ser-uh, Usagi is like a sister to me. She's trying to learn how to act around men."

Serenity's face went pale. "MOTOKI!" she said sharply.

He paled too. "Oops, I should have left out that last part," he said.

Darien chuckled. "Here I thought you two were lovers."

Serenity blushed furiously as she looked back at Darien. "We are not lovers," she said, a bit more sharply than she had wanted to. He smirked. Ooo, how she was starting to hate that smirk.

What she heard next from Motoki nearly killed her on the spot. "Darien, do you know how to dance?" If she had her sword with her, she would have murdered Motoki on the spot. Not that evil, eh Motoki? She thought to herself.

Darien shrugged his shoulders. "I guess," he said. Serenity cast a glare in Motoki's direction, but he wasn't looking at her. Instead his eyes were fixed on Darien.

"Would you mind helping us out then?" he asked innocently. Serenity could feel her hear hammering against her chest, and felt it was about to leap out and suffocate Motoki. Oh please say no, oh please, oh please…

"Sure, I guess I could." Damn! She stiffened. What was she going to do. She watched Motoki walk over to the piano that was standing at the other end of the room, as far away from Serenity as he could. One thing that he could do was play the piano. She shifted her gaze back to Darien. He had that stupid smirk on his face still.

"So, why was Motoki trying to…oh, how did he put it, teach you how to 'act around men'?" he asked slyly. Serenity's mouth dropped open, but no sound came out.

"It's because she doesn't feel comfortable around them when they're not begging for their lives or being tortured by one of her pranks. She has to lure a husband now," came Motoki's clear voice.

"MOTOKI!!!! Why you…you…" She was absolutely livid! Before she could make a move to kill Motoki though, she felt a hand slip onto her waist, and she stopped mid-step at the soft chuckle coming form Darien's throat.

"My Lady, if I did not know better, I would think you were a warrior rather than an Angel," he said softly. She widened her eyes as she looked at him. He let her go, and held out one of his hands and bowed slightly at the waist as the first soft bars of music started to float from the piano "Might I be so bold as to ask for the honour of a dance?" he asked softly. She curtsied, almost forgetting how to, as she watched a few stray locks of hair fall onto his forehead, like wisps of blackest smoke, as they both straitened up.

"S-sure…" Great, she had forgotten how to talk properly.

He smiled. "We need to work on your vocabulary," he whispered as he put his hand on her waist and grasped the other one in his free hand. She gasped a little internally. His hands were larger than Motoki's. The one completely covered her waist and the other completely enveloped her own hand. She brought her other hand up onto his shoulder. She shivered as they started to move and she could feel his muscles rippling under her hand beneath the thin stuff of his shirt. He moved around the small space effortlessly, guiding her as though he had been doing so for all his life.

"My Lady blushes. What has brought the soft paint to her cheeks, I wonder? What has caused nature to beautify its mistress? " he asked quietly.

She looked up at him. "What?.." was all she was able to get out.

He smiled again. "Rule one. When a man gives you a compliment, you accept it. You don't ask 'what' but smile and let him know he's doing ok."

She could feel her cheeks burning even more than before. "I'm sorry. I'm not really used to this," she said.

She heard Motoki chuckle. "When she says that, what it means is that no man has ever complimented her without her laughing in his face and humiliating him," Motoki translated from the other end of the room. Serenity turned to glare at him, but her attention was brought back to Darien when he spoke again.

"Well, we will have to work on that then, won't we?" he asked with a chuckle. Serenity bowed her head, hoping desperately there weren't flames dancing on her cheeks. He stumbled a little as she stepped onto his foot. Oh my goodness, did I actually just do that!? I know how to dance! She though furiously. She looked up at him, an apologetic look on her face.

He smiled at her before resuming the dance. "That's ok. We can try again," he said. She felt like crying from embarrassment. They glided across the floor, although rather slowly since Darien was trying to let her regain some confidence. She was concentrating so hard on not stepping on his foot again that she almost didn't notice him talking to her, were it not for the fact that his lips were almost right next to her ear. She blushed at his closeness.

"Rule number two. When you speak to the man your romancing, you speak in a hushed voice so no one else hears you," he murmured.

She pulled back a little, but stopped fighting when she felt his grip on her waist tighten. "I'm not romancing you," she said defensively.

He had a surprised look on his face, and then chuckled. "I know that. But you're practising, remember?"

She wished the floor would open and swallow her up. She swallowed hard as he pulled her even closer, and she could feel his chest moving against her own. That made her last nerve snap, and she couldn't take any more.

"Ok, I can't do this," she said as she jumped away, leaving Darien standing there without a partner. He smiled at her as she put her hands to her burning face. She heard Motoki get up from behind the piano and walk over to the two. Feeling rather foolish and embarrassed, she looked down at the floor and clasped her hands in front of her. "I'm sorry," she said gently.

She felt Motoki put his hand on her shoulder. "This is perfect," he said quietly. What does he mean? thought Serenity. I just managed to embarrass myself while forgetting everything I have ever been taught! She looked at her friend, who was looking at Darien, a smile plastered on his face. What the…."What do you think Darien. Can you spare some time again later?" She was shocked as she looked over to Darien, who had the same smile plastered on his face.

"Of course," he said.

"What!" Serenity shrieked.

Both men chuckled "Think about it Usagi, I can't teach you how to be comfortable around men 'cause we're too much like family. But….well, Darien is someone you don't know," he stated as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Serenity could feel her knee's trembling. "You mean I have to go through that again!" she cried out, looking form Darien to Motoki.

"My apologies My Lady if you find my touch so repulsive," mocked Darien.

She glared at him. "My apologies if I'm not being comfortable with a man I hardly know," she snapped back.

"Come on, you're the one who wanted to learn this so badly," Motoki pointed out, much to Serenity's annoyance.

She glared at him. "You didn't have to tell him about it though!" she growled.

"Oh come on Princess," said Darien. Serenity froze, fear gripping her like an iced rope. Did he know? The next comment banished these fears though. "You don't have to be such a meatball head about it."

Serenity turned her face towards him. "What did you just call me?" she hissed, the calmness in her voice betraying her anger. He had the damn smirk on his face again. She looked back at Motoki. He still had a smile on his face. How dare he call me a meatball head, Serenity thought savagely. Without a word, she ran up the stairs to Motoki's room, grabbed her boys clothing and cloak and ran back downstairs to the door.

"Where are you going!" Motoki called after her.

"Home. And I'm not coming back for any more lessons." She threw her cloak over her shoulders and opened the door, and froze at the sound of laughter behind her. She snapped her head back.

Darien was gripping his stomach, laughing. "Yo-you can't do it! You're too scared! You-" he broke off in more laughter. She glared at him. He was mocking her again! Oh that man, she would show him! She would prove him wrong! She felt another set of eyes on her and shifted her glare over to Motoki. He smiled sweetly, and she could see that he already knew what she was thinking. Damn him, he knows me too well!

"See you tomorrow evening at 11:00 pm," was all she heard Motoki say as she slammed the door behind her.

I do not own the rights to Sailormoon or any of the characters. That honour belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, and I am simply a lowly author who can use her characters for my plots.